The disclosures of the following priority applications are herein incorporated by reference: Japanese Application No. 08-326547, filed Dec. 6, 1996; and Japanese Application No. 09-122011, filed May 13, 1997.
1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates to an information processing apparatus and more particularly to an information processing apparatus that determines whether to display images based on the types of images and the sizes of the display screens.
2. Description of Related Art
Electronic cameras photograph images of objects using a CCD and convert the images into digital data. The digital data is recorded in internal memory and removable memory cards. These electronic cameras have replaced cameras using film. The images photographed using these electronic cameras can be reproduced on the spot and displayed on LCD or CRT screens without development and printing as in conventional cameras.
These cameras are capable of inputting not only images, but also sounds. Furthermore, they may be capable of inputting handwritten memos. In that case, the sounds and memos may be related to images. In this manner, they are capable of recording sounds during photography, and recording simple comments with handwritten characters corresponding to the places of photography and the photographed objects.
These cameras may display multiple images by dividing the screen into multiple areas.
However, when recording memo information in addition to image information, and when displaying multiple images and memos by dividing the screen, it may be difficult to discriminate the handwritten memos because each display area of the divided screen is small.
The present invention increases the efficiency of processing by determining whether to display the images based on the types of images and the sizes of the display screens.
The information processing apparatus may include a memory (e.g., a memory card) that stores first images and second images and a display control device (e.g., a CPU) that displays the first images and the second images on the specified screens. The display control device has a first mode that displays the first images on the screens in a first size corresponding to a first number of pixels and a second mode that displays the first images on the screens in a second size corresponding to a second number of pixels, which is less than the first number of pixels. The second images are displayed superimposed on the first images when the first images have been displayed on the screen in the first mode and when the second images related to the first images have been stored by the memory.
The display control device may have a symbol indicating the existence of the second images relating to the first images displayed on the screen when the first images are displayed on the screen in the second mode and when the second images related to the first images have been stored by the memory.
The first images may be displayed in a plurality of display areas when displaying a plurality of the first images. When second images related to the first images have been stored by the memory, the second images related to the first images are displayed based on sizes of the display areas.
When the first images are displayed on the screens, the display control device determines whether to have the second images displayed superimposed on the first images based on sizes of the screens.
The first images may be photographic images and the second images may be line drawings.
The information processing apparatus may further include a display device (e.g., a LCD) that displays the first images and the second images.
In one embodiment, the information processing apparatus may include a display device (e.g., a LCD) that displays first images and second images and a display control device (e.g., a CPU) capable of having the second images displayed superimposed on the first images. The display control device may have the first images displayed in a plurality of sizes. The display control device may control whether to display the second images superimposed on the first images according to sizes in which the first images are displayed.
The display control device may not display the second image when the size of the first image is less than or equal to a first reference value or when the number of pixels of the first image is equal to or less than a second reference value.
A program may be recorded on a recording medium to be used in an information processing apparatus. The control program may be used for storing a first image and second image. The program may further display the first image and the second image on a given screen. The program controls the information processing apparatus such that it operates in one of (1) a first mode in which the first image is displayed on the screen in a size corresponding to a first pixel number, and (2) a second mode in which the first image is displayed on the screen in a second size corresponding to a second pixel number smaller than the first pixel number. The information processing apparatus may be controlled such that, in the event the first image is displayed on the screen in the first mode, when the second image related to the first image is stored in memory, the second image is displayed on the screen superimposed on the first image.
The memory may store first images and second images. The display control device may have the first images and the second images displayed on the specified screens. The display control device may have a first mode that displays the first images on the screens in a first size corresponding to a first number of pixels and a second mode that displays the first images on the screens in a second size corresponding to a second number of pixels less than the first number of pixels. When the first images have been displayed on the screens in the first mode and when the second images related to the first images have been stored by the memory, the second images are displayed superimposed on the first images.
The display control device may have the second images displayed superimposed on the first images. The display control device may have the first images displayed in a plurality of sizes and control whether to display the second images superimposed on the first images according to sizes in which the first images are displayed.
In the recording medium, the display control device may control the information processing apparatus such that it operates in one of the first mode which displays the first image on the screen in a first size which corresponds to the first pixel number and the second mode which displays the first image on the screen in a second size which corresponds to a second pixel number smaller than a first pixel number. If the first image is displayed on the screen in the first mode and if the second image which relates to the first image is stored in memory, then the second image is displayed on the screen superimposed on the first image.
Other objects, advantages and salient features of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the annexed drawings, which disclose preferred embodiments of the invention.